Having J. Lo perform a tribute to Motown’s soulful pop legacy was a choice.
The Grammys have a history of inciting controversy, but on Sunday night it wasn’t an award winner or a snub that earned the Recording Academy some heat, but rather the choice to have Jennifer Lopez perform a tribute to Motown with Smokey Robinson and Ne-Yo.
Lopez performed a medley of Motown hits like “Dancing in the Street” and “Please Mr. Postman,” complete with energetic choreography and beautiful, beautiful costumes.
However, some observers were upset by the Grammys’ choice not to have a black female singer perform the soulful pop hits, originally sung by black artists, that made Motown Records and the sound of Motown so distinct:
Not helping the situation is the fact that the Grammys have a history of nominating black musicians, but black musicians only rarely win in the big four categories — Record of the Year, Album of the Year, Song of the Year, and Best New Artist.
